Hello and welcome to my first blog. Firstly, I would like to introduce myself – my name is Carol Marlow and I am the (new) Managing Director of P&O Cruises. As James and Nigel are both on leave I will be standing in on the James Cusick Blog until James returns on 18 December.
I have been very fortunate to have worked for a number of cruise lines over the years, including an earlier period with P&O Cruises when I was involved with the launch of Aurora. One aspect of working for this company that has always impressed me is our very loyal customer base. It is an honour to have such a strong following, but it is also something that we don’t take lightly and a relationship that we would like to build upon and strengthen.
In the last few months I have visited all the ships in the P&O Cruises fleet, with the exception of Aurora, which I hope to be joining in the next couple of weeks. As well as familiarising myself with the ships, I have had the opportunity of meeting with our crews and passengers and it has been wonderful seeing some of our regulars and chatting about what is important to them. This sort of interaction is essential so we can understand how to move forward and continue to exceed our passengers’ expectations. And this blog is great portal with which I can keep the lines of communications open with our passengers.
With kind regards,
Carol
James Cusick
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2011
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October
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- Sunday 16th October 2011 – at sea
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- Thursday 29th September 2011 – alongside in Portla...
- Aurora in Boston
- Aurora in New York
- Friday 23rd September – at sea
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- My final blog post.....
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- Hello from somewhere between Greece and Turkey!
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May
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- Arcadia in Alaska – College Fjord and Whittier.
- Farewell from Adonia
- Carol Marlow live from Adonia
- Hello from Adonia!
- Adonia’s arrival and naming ceremony
- Arcadia in Alaska - Ketchikan, Juneau and Yakutat ...
- Guest Blog - P&O Cruises Chief Engineer Charlie Hi...
- The Inside Passage - Canadian/USA Border
- Arcadia in San Francisco
- The British Royal Wedding at Sea
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October
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20 comments:
Welcome Carol, we look forward to your blog. We will be on Arcadia for 10 nights next week.
Hello Carol, Welcome.
I look forward to reading your blogs for the next few weeks. I have been following James's and Nigel's blogs with great interest for many months now, and had the pleasure of meeting James on Aradia on her Worldie this year.
We will be on Aurora in March and on Oriana in July. You will like Aurora, she is so elegant and she is definitely my favourite.
Regards Judith
Welcome to the blog Carol
Have enjoyed this blog now for a year. Nice to see some new faces posting blogs whilst James if off on leave. But we don't normally get to blog with the "boss"!
Have cruised with P & O since my son was 4, and he's now 23. Starting off on Canberra, have been on most ships in the fleet (haven't been on Artemis). Aurora is my favourite, closely followed and difficult to separate for 2nd spot is Arcadia and Oriana. Looking forward to Xmas on Arcadia. First time on an adult only ship at Xmas - not sure how I'll get on as I think christmas is for kids and I love to see the activities that are organised with kids in mind, like the panto's, nativity play and carol concerts. Will be heading down to Southampton 2 weeks on Thursday and when I say that I begin to panic - I'm nowhere near ready :-0)
Anyway, look forward to hearing more from you.
Elaine (aurorabore)
Hello Carol
Really looking forward to reading your blog. I have been impressed so far with your hands-on approach to obtaining customer feedback.
I have always been a P&O loyal customer but recently travelled with Oceania lines (as a port lecturer) and I have to admit they have wowed me!!
Carol,
You mention in the latest Portunus mailing that the invites to Azura inaugural will be to the "most travelled" passengers. Does this mean Gold Level only?
Hi Carol,
Am so happy that the blog continues!
We travelled on Arcadia this year from Australia to Southampton and loved the P&O UK hospitality so we are doing it again on board Aurora in 2010 and really looking forward to the experience. Only 89 sleeps to go.
We are also booked on Aurora from Southamton to Oz in 2011, going in reverse that year but are so happy with the Arcadia trip that we have to do it again and again. We just like to be there!
Look forward to hearing more from you.
All the Best!
Welcome Carol
You are one brave lady talking to the customers direct. Hope you are ready for some 'flack'!
Former P&O cruiser
Welcome Carol,
Have been following the blogs throughout the year, and thoroughly enjoy them. Have cruised with P & O every year since 1988 and are looking forward to cruising on Arcadia over Christmas and the New year, followed by Oriana next Summer.Looking forward to catching up with you over the next three weeks, and good luck, hope you dont have a hard time!!!
Norma
It is great that this very happy blog is continuing. I don't believe that it should be a source of grief and think that any untoward comments to Carol should be done on another method of contact.
Great job Carol!
Hello Carol
With the departure of Artemis in April 2011, can you share with us your thoughts on a replacement child free ship. Oceana would be our first choice followed by Oriana!!!!!!!!!!
Our best wishes in your new role ..
Michael and Shirley
It was nice to meet you on Arcadia, Carol, and to comment on your excellent presentation on Azura. It certainly did its job and made me want to travel on her some time after our "worldie" on Arcadia in 44 days' time!
I did promise to put a recording of the presentation on YouTube but technically, it was really good enough to represent P&O so I hope you will get your "new media" department to do a proper job soon.
Best regards
Peter
Hi Carol
It will be nice to hear from your blog over the next few weeks.I personally have cruised with P&O(and others)sincei was 8 in 1968 and have witnessed many changes,some good,some bad over the years.It will be iteresting to see how your particular ideas will come forward in the future.One thing i will for myself and other friends and family who cruise often please dont "Americanise"P&O they have enough "have a nice day ships"too choose from and since from when did passengers become "Guests".I wisj you all the best in your new role and would love to meet up in the near future.Seasons greetings when they come round.
Alan Gebbie
Troon Ayrshire
Thank you for your comments. In answer to the questions raised:
Dear Anonymous
In a letter accompanying the latest Portunus Club magazine we stated that around 5,000 of our ‘most travelled’ passengers will be invited to the Azura inaugurals. We mean by this those that have spent the most nights on board with us. Whilst the invitees are inevitably going to be in the gold tier of The Portunus Club, this is not an event for the gold tier. Much as we would like to, unfortunately we cannot invite everyone to see our new arrival.
Dear Michael and Shirley,
I am aware that many of our passengers enjoy a more traditional, adult-only ship experience and we're working on how we can meet those requirements post Artemis, so please bear with me.
Carol
I have always been extremly impressed with the staff on board P&O ships. Sadly the staff in Southampton badly let the company down in my opinion. I e mailed them with a query re a forth coming cruise amd on the fifth e mail I threatned to write to you if I didn't get a reply. The next day my questuon was answered. 3 weeks later I am still waiting an answe to a further question that I have. Please wake them up.
Welcome back to P&O Carol. If you are going on Aurora at the start of the Xmas/New Year cruise we may have the opportunity to say hello.
Well done for posting on the blog and letting people give you direct feedback, I just hope its kept constructive for you.
Good luck and every success in your new role.
Janet P
Hi Carol
Welcome to the blog!
It was fantastic meeting you on Oriana, and hopefully some day I will hear from you about that book!
Cheers
Brendan.Aust
Hello Carole,
Good to read this blog. You have mentioned that you are looking into an alternative solution for a child free, traditional ship post Artemis. Will you just keep the current ships? I believe this will affect itineraries offered as the other ships are probably too big to enter some ports and areas that Artemis currently does. Do we have to defect to another cruise line for that?
Welcome Carol.. to the world of Cruise chat on line. Those of us who log on and chat ' cruises' daily welcome you.
How lovely to see the Head Office. Have you ever thought of adding a Museum there? and public area ?
Looking forward to reading your blogs.
Hi Carol.
I did my first cruise with P.O. in 1966, and have now sailed with P.O. well over 100 times with my last cruise on the Arcadia on the 2nd November,a 23 nights cruise..My comment to you is, why have you let standards fall in all areas,by way of cost cutting that shows to those passengers like me who travel with and are very loyal to P.O.
I have been with other cruise lines and if standards carry on falling I for one will start to look at other cruise lines.As a point on interest I have three cruises booked in 2010.all with P.O.
Artemis,when she is sold what will happen to those ports of call that only the Artemis can call into.
Terry
With reference to the comment by Anonymous on 1st December 2009 stating that "any untoward comments to Carol should be done on another method of contact"
That does not work as you just receive a standard reply without actually knowing if Ms Marlowe has read it.
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